388 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



who would not put his name on the barrel unless 

 perfectly sure it was a good one, and free from 

 flaws* (a hard thing to attain in a big tube), and 

 open to minute inspection as to boring, breeching, 

 and workmanship generally, so that by acting thus 

 a shooter gets more satisfaction from feeling pretty 

 certain the barrel is of a high excellence, and by its 

 certainty of safety it may be worth the longer price 

 paid. Anyhow, these large barrels are always 

 stronger than they need be, for if they give way in 

 proof it is a serious loss to the manufacturer, to 

 which the bursting of an ordinary small pair of 

 barrels would be a trifle. These big tubes, unless of 

 steel, are made of one class of material, i.e. y " Skelp 

 Twist ; " which, though not of a high merit as metal, 

 is quite good and tough enough for the purpose, and 

 to spare. When ordering a large gun, get an esti- 

 mate of cost of each part, which will give an idea 

 of what you are paying for. If near a respectable 

 working gunsmith, it will be best to get the barrel 

 with breech and trunnions fitted, and let him stock 

 and finish it to your fancy. From Birmingham the 

 lock may be obtained, and castings for a couple of 

 hammers (one to spare). Your own man will do the 

 rest it is an easy job at a lower price than they 

 will even in Birmingham, and you can see the gun 



* A tail-pin breech is the best in a muzzle-loader to affix the stock 

 to, as it will never let it shake loose. One of the large screw nuts 

 that pass through the stock and the thick part of the tail-pin should 

 terminate underneath in an eye that will take a f ths-inch rope as a 

 back check to recoil in case it is wanted for a very light gun or with 

 new recoil ropes. If a screw eye-bolt be tapped into the barrel itself 

 underneath it is even better, should the metal be stout at the breech 

 end, and well able to stand it, without fear of weakening or boring 

 too near the powder chamber. 



